Transit-oriented Development

(TOD)

The Kingston station site is located off Route 138, a two lane highway, which is heavily trafficked 7 days of the week. Part of the problem with congestion in the area stems from the more than 60% of URI students who are auto commuters. More than 6,000 URI students commute to the campus. There are two types of commuters: “Down the Line” commuters – those students living in southern Rhode Island beach areas that are 10 to 15 miles from campus; and the “Living at Home” commuters – those students living with parents. The 2003/4 academic year was the first year that URI instituted a parking fee ($100/year) for those students who commute.

1995 forecasts by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation estimated ridership at Kingston Station to be at 1367 commuters with the extension of commuter rail for the year 2000 – this does not take into account the presence of TOD and the potential of additional riders. The consulting firm Cambridge Systematics, Inc. employed a formula where commuter rail would capture around 15-20% of auto commuters in an area.

Because of the relatively large volume of auto commuters in the area, capturing 15% of these workers for commuter rail would be adequate in covering operating costs from farebox receipts.

Year 2000 Draft Census data detail commuting patterns to and from Westerly and current and proposed stations along the rail line. The tables we present below do not include other commuters from proximate towns – Charlestown, West Warwick, Quonset/Davisville, etc. – who might use commuter rail. (Data sets include number of workers/commuters and percent of commuters from origin to destination)

6,105 workers (45.41%) commute within South Kingstown

Potential future rail commuters from South Kingstown to RI towns with existing train stations:
Commuting to:

Providence 1,159 workers 8.62%
Warwick 813 workers 6.05%
East Greenwich 144 workers 1.07%
North Kingstown 683 workers 5.08%
Westerly 352 workers 2.62%
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Totals 3151 workers 23.44%

Potential future rail commuters from other RI towns to South Kingstown:
Commuting from:

Providence 439 workers 0.65%
Warwick 574 workers 1.33%
East Greenwich 170 workers 2.83%
North Kingstown 921 workers 6.70%
Westerly 462 workers 4.18%
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Totals 2566 workers -------

TOTAL potential rail commuters to/from Westerly: 5717 workers